On October 1, 2002 the House of Representatives passed a Concurrent Resolution (H. Con. Res. 451), "Recognizing the importance of teaching United States history and civics in elementary and secondary schools." The measure exemplifies the importance of putting a greater emphasis on history and civic education in classroom curriculums, in order to promote a greater understanding of the United States history, to produce more learned citizens, and set a foundation for a "better understanding of [one's] roles and responsibilities as citizens of the United States and the global community." In addition, the bill's sponsors hope early history education will "develop throughout a student's entire educational career and beyond," increasing the general public's political efficacy, and decreasing political cynicism and apathy toward the U.S. government.

In the resolution, Congress expressed concern over the lack of basic understanding of U.S. history among students at all levels. Citing the steady decline of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) history test results, resolution co-sponsors Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Tom Osborne (R-NE) attributed the deteriorating NAEP scores to "the lack of emphasis in schools on teaching of history, particularly U.S. history and U.S. government ... and an increasing cynicism on the part of the general public in regard to the political process."

According to the resolution, "without a common understanding of the remarkable individuals, events, and ideals that have shaped the Nation, people in the United States risk losing much of what it means to be an American, as well as the ability to fulfill the fundamental responsibilities of citizens in a democracy." To counter this situation, the Resolution states that Congress supports efforts to promote education in U.S. history and to that ensure U.S. students graduate from high school with a significant understanding of U.S. history and civics.

For the Resolution, tap into: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HC00451:@@@L&summ2=m&